Leaning up against the wall I wait for Brianna. She is taking her sweet time to get out of class. I glance over at the clock hanging on the wall once again...if she doesn't come soon I will have to go by myself.

"Let's go," Brianna says blowing past me right out the front doors.

Taking in a deep breath I follow closely behind her...what the hell have we gotten ourselves into? We rush through the parking lot, calling out Adam's name, eventually finding him hiding behind a bus.

"Adam!" Brianna exclaim, getting his attention.

"Don't get to excited," I start, noticing the pleased look in Adam's eyes. "We're here to tell you you're an idiot."

"Eli!" Bri says, punching me playfully in the arm as we stop in front of Adam. "At least try to say it nicely. Look, Adam, you're going to get hurt."

"Could have just texted and saved the effort," replies Adam.

I let out a sigh; Adam is not getting this at all, "It's not too late to bail."

Brianna rolls her eyes, clearly not agreeing with what I have just said. Does she not get it either? I don't want to see her hurt again. I'm not in the mood to see anyone get hurt today really, but I guess that's what's going to happen.

"Fitz is gonna be here any minute so if you don't want to be here go," communicates Adam, looking from Brianna to me back to Bri.

"We aren't going anywhere. Don't you remember what I said in the weight room?" Brianna says with a smile, moving to stand next to Adam.

I smirk, my eyes on Brianna...she truly is a fascinating girl. "You are one crazy chick."

Brianna bites her lip, blushing, "Why thank you kind sir," she replies pulling on the sleeve of her over sized hoodie.

"What about Claire?" asks Adam, interrupting our flirting.

"She doesn't get guys," I state getting a look from Brianna. "Or Bri," I tack on. I suppose it's the truth.

Brianna has a thirst for revenge. Anything and everything she can do to make Fitz or any other bully hurt she'll do. Claire just doesn't understand that.

"Sometimes you have to stand up for your bud," Brianna says smiling over at Adam.

"Freak!" Fitz calls, coming around the end of the bus. "You should have backed off, now someone's gonna get hurt."

"Bring it!" shouts Adam, pushing Fitz out from behind the bus.

This is ridiculous. Adam is going to get hurt. We are all going to get detention, not that I particularly care about that but this is just stupid.

"Adam calm down," I say.

I watch as Adam goes after Fitz again, not listening to me at all. Does this kid have a death wish?

I grab his arm, "Adam, take it easy."

Brianna lets out an odd squeaking noise as Fitz's fist makes contact with my face causing me to fall to the ground. I can taste blood on my lip as I lie there.

"Eli! Are you alright?" Brianna asks kneeling down beside me. I can hear the panic in her voice.

Why does she have to care so much? It only makes me feel worse when I get hurt, or do something stupid.

"This is the reason I broke up with you," Brianna says, glaring up at Fitz who is still being assaulted by Adam.

I close my eyes as Brianna runs her fingers through my hair. The loose gravel of the parking lot digs into the palm of my hands but I refuse to move, enjoying the sensation of Bi's fingers in my hair too much.

"I told you, I can't hit a girl," I hear Fitz say.

Since when? He had hit Brianna to the point she needed to be in the hospital, what's so different now?

"You did once before," spits Brianna voicing exactly what I am thinking.

I hear Adam grunting; obviously Fitz has him in some kind of hold.

"I guess I can make another exception," sneers Fitz. God I hate him.

Only seconds later I hear Fitz grunt. Opening my eyes I look up at Brianna, "What happened?"

I take it, allowing Brianna to help me up. Would this be what it was like if I had never met Claire? It would just be Adam, Brianna and I against the world. In my mind I picture that. All three of us hanging out on weekends, sneaking into concerts, running around Canada like fugitives on the run from the law... I smirk; life would be so different if I hadn't met Claire.

Just then the school bells begin to sound, dozens of students piling out the front doors; hands over their nose and mouth. I slip my hand in Brianna's, grabbing Adam by the shirt sleeve, pulling us back behind the safety of the bus.

"My house," says Brianna, mainly because her house is the closest to the school.

"You're dead!" hollers Fitz after us. "I'm gonna send your emo girlfriend, Brianna, back to the hospital, Eli; along with your freak of a friend!"